Safety lock for locomotive throttle levers



SAFETY LOCK FOR LOCOMOTIVE THROTTLE LEVERS Filed May 31, 1946 2Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 13, 1948. H. J. CANTRELL SAFETY LOCK FOR LOCOMOTIVETHROTTLE LEVERS Filed May 31, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I A/ g LIT EH A Y nN %2W WW I N m mm 'UIIHI i [far/and 6): Car? 776//,

Patented Jan. 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY LOOK FORLOCOMOTIVE THROTTLE LEVERS Harland J. Cantrell, Huntington, W. Va.Application May 31, 1946, Serial No. 673,480

3 Claims. 1

My invention relates to locomotives and more particularly to a safetylock for the throttle lever of a locomotive.

The object of my invention is to provide a safety lock for locomotivethrottle lever adapted to prevent movement of the throttle lever intoopen position unless suflioient air pressure is available to operate thebrakes.

Another object of my invention is to provide a locking device forlocomotive throttle levers adapted to prevent accidental forcefulopening movement of the throttle lever of a dead locomotive, which ismoved by another live locomotive, and in the boiler of which enoughpressure is built up through the action of the pistons in the cylindersto cause the throttle lever to fly into open position.

Other objects of my invention may appear in the following specificationdescribing my invention with reference to the accompanying drawingsillustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention.

It is however to be understood that my invention is not to be limited orrestricted to the exact construction and combination of parts describedin the specification and shown in the drawings, but that such changesand modifications can be made, which fall within the scope of the claimsappended hereto.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a safety lockingdevice according to my invention, shown attached to a fragmentarilyshown locomotive boiler, the throttle lever being shown partially, andother parts being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary end view of a locomotive boiler and of thelocking device according to my invention attached thereto.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan View of a locking device according to myinvention.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on line 4-4 in Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 in Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail an angle bracket [0 is firmlyfastened onto the rear end of a locomotive boiler H and serves as a restfor the throttle lever l2.

An off-set supporting plate I3 is securely attached to the under side ofthe bracket In by means of bolts l4.

A small cylinder is is rigidly connected to the off-set supporting platel3, for instance by welding. One end of this cylinder is open and acylinder head I 6 is attached to this end. The 55 2 cylinder l5 has twopairs of outwardly extending lugs l1 thereon, which are arrangeddiametricall opposite to each other. A pin l8 extends through each pairof lugs l! and through the eye of an eye bolt [9 located between thelugs l'l.

On the cylinder head l6 two pairs of laterally extending prongs 20 arearranged diametrically opposite to each other and the prongs of eachpair are adapted to receive the shanks of the eye bolts is between them.A gasket 2| is positioned between the end of the cylinder l5 and thecylinder head I6 and lock nuts 22 on the eye bolts l9 force the cylinderfirmly against the gasket 2|. Cotter pins 23 secure the lock nuts 22against accidental loosening.

A pipe 24 is screwed centrally in the cylinder head l6 and communicateswith the interior of the cylinder l5. At its other end it is connectedwith the air reservoir on the locomotive (not shown).

A piston rod 25 extends slidably through the end Wall 26 of the cylinderIS. A piston 21 is either integrally formed with the piston rod 25 or isrigidly mounted thereon. A packing cup 28 made from leather orcomposition is arranged on the piston rod 25 adjacent the piston 21. Awasher 29 is located in the packing cup and a castellated lock nut 30 onthe threaded end of the piston rod 25 secures the washer and the packingcup in position.

A bushing 3| arranged in the cylinder I5 between the piston 21 and theinner surface of the cylinder end wall 26 limits the axial movement ofthe piston 21 and the piston rod 25.

A helical spring 32 surrounding the piston rod 25 is arranged betweenthe piston 21 and the bottom of the bushing 3| and urges the piston 21and the piston rod 25 toward the cylinder head Hi. This helical springis constructed, so that it requires a pressure of at least lbs. tocompress it. That is the pressure needed in the air line of a train tooperate the brakes.

The end of the piston rod 25 located outside of the cylinder I5 isthreaded as at 33 and a bifurcated member 34 having a female threadtherein is threadedly mounted on this piston rod end.

A bifurcated bracket 35 is integrally formed with the cylinder l5 and iscurved rearwardly and upwardly. A substantially U-shaped crank lever 36is pivotally connected with the bifurcated member 34 on the piston rod25 by means of a pin 31 extendin through the prongs formed by saidbifurcation and through a curved slot 38 provided in the upper end ofone of the flanges of the U-shaped crank lever, which is arrangedbetween said prongs.

The lower end of this flange of the crank lever is located in thebifurcation in the bracket 35 on the cylinder l and is pivotallyconnected therewith by means of a pin 39 extending through the prongs onthis bracket 35 and the lower end of the crank lever 36.

A look pin 46 has a bifurcated head Mon its lower end and the upper endof the second flange of the U-shaped crank lever 36 is located in thisbifurcation and pivotally connected with the bifurcated head 4| by meansof a pin 42.

In the throttle rest bracket ID a hole is arranged adjacent its rearwardend and a bushing 43 extends in this hole and somewhat downwardlytherefrom. The shank of the lock pin 4D is slidably located in thistube. The hole in the bracket IE1 is so arranged that the throttle leverI2 is located adjacent the lock pin 40, when the pin extends upwardlythrough the bushing 43 and the throttle is in closed position. i

This will always be the case, when the air pressure in the air line 24and in the cylinder IS in front of the piston 21 is lower than 50 lbs.and the piston 21 and the piston rod 25 have been moved into theposition shown in Figure 4under the pressure of the spring 32, The lockpin 40 prevents movement of the throttle lever l2 into open position.

When the air pressure in the air line 24 and the cylinder l5 reaches 50lbs. or more the piston 21 is moved toward the bushing 3| forcing thebifurcated member 34 outwardly from the cylinder and pivoting the cranklever 36 about the pin 39,

piston rod connected to the piston extendin through one end of thecylinder, a lock pin mounted for reciprocation in the support andmovable into and out of the plane of oscillation of the throttle lever,and a linkage connected at one terminus to the piston rod and at theother terminus to the lock pin for converting reciprocation of thepiston rod in one plane to reciprocation of the lock pin in anotherplane.

2. In a safety-lock for locomotive throttle levers, a support positionedat an angle to the plane of oscillation of the throttle lever, acylinder mounted on said support, a piston in said cylinder, a conduitconnected to the cylinder for admitting fluid under pressure on one faceof the piston, a compression spring within the cylinder whereby the lockpin is pulled downwardly, so

that the throttle lever I2 will be free to be operated.

If it should become necessary to move the throttle lever i2 into openposition, when the air pressure is below 50 lbs. the pin 39 in thebifurcated bracket on the cylinder I5 is removed, so that the cranklever will swing downwardly about the pin 31 in the slot 38 and the lockpin 46 will fall out of the bushing 43.

While the safety lock according to my invention has been described inconnection with a locomotive, it is to be understood that this safetylock can be used on any vehicle, which is equipped with brakes actuatedby compressed air, such as buses, trucks. railway motor cars or thelike.

Having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent:

1. In a safety lock for locomotive throttle levers, a supportpcsitionedat an angle to the plane of oscillation of the throttle lever,a cylinder mounted on said support, a piston in said cylinder, a conduitconnected to the cylinder for admitting fluid under pressure on one faceof the piston, a compression spring within the cylinder and abutting theopposite face of the piston, a

and butting the opposite face of the piston, a piston rod connected tothe piston extending through one end of the cylinder, a lock pin mountedfor reciprocation in the support and into and out of the plane ofoscillation of the throttle lever, a bracket on said cy and asubstantially U-shaped lever pivoted to said bracket adjacent its humpand pivotally connected at one end to the piston rod and at the otherend to the lock pin for converting reciprocation of the piston rod inone plane to reciprocation of the lock pin in another plane,

3. In a safety lock for locomotive throttle levers, a support positionedat an angle to the plane of oscillation of the throttle lever, acylinder mountedon said support, a piston in said cylinder, a conduitconnected to said cylinder for admitting fluid under pressure on oneface of the piston, a compression spring within the cylinder andabutting the opposite face of the piston, a piston rod connected to thepiston extending through one end of the cylinder, a lock pin mounted forreciprocation in the support into and out of the plane of oscillation ofthe throttle level, a bracket on said cylinder, and a substantiallyU-shaped lever pivoted to said bracket adjacent its hump, a slot in theend of one arm of said U- shaped lever and a pin in the end of saidpiston rod passing through said slot, and a pin connection between theend of the other arm of said U-shaped lever and said lock pin.

HARLAND J. CAN'IREIL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number I

